An Overview of Common Scrap Material

During our life time, we may produce over 600 times our own weight in trash.If we don’t recycle them, we will undertake unimaginable result in future. Pretty much all the resources we have on Earth- all the raw materials and an awful lot of the energy- are limited. Once we’ve used them up, we won’t get any more. The other hand, the things we throw away are likely to go off to be bulldozed underground in a landfill or burnt in an incinerator. Both of two ways will bring horribly pollution. Therefore, it will be good for us to take part in reducing, reusing and recycling as much as possible.

What can be recycled? Most things you throw away can be recycle and remade into new products- although some are easier to recycle than others. Metal, plastics, paper and cardboard, kitchen and garden waste, wood, etc.,all can be recycled.

Metal Scrap
One section of the recycling industry may not be popular, but just as important is scrap metal recycling. Why to recycle metal scrap? Simply put, recycling scrap metal is vitally important to the environment and the economy. Another good reason is that metal is one of the most easily refashioned and reused materials we have.

We all know that scrap metal is divided into two categories: ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals include carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and wrought iron, and those often used in housing construction, cars and trucks, and rail roads. After recycled, they are also being extensively used in these industry.

Non-ferrous metals include copper, lead, brass, aluminum, tin, zinc and others. Copper scrap is more familiar with us. The usual commercial supplies of pure copper are used for the most critical of electrical applications such as the production of fine and superfine enamelled wires. When these copper wire scrap is no longer in use, they can be recycled and refined. Copper cable granulator and wire stripping machine are two common choices.

Paper&Cardboard
Paper is made from plant fibers. Every time when it is re-manufactured, the fiber will become shorter. When they are too short to make paper, some new paper always has to be added during the papermaking process according to the practice. Another problem with recycling paper is that not all paper is the same. Among all kinds of paper, you will find thatoffice paper is better than the toilet paper. The higher the quality of paper waste, the better the quality of recycled products it can be used to make. So high-grade white paper collected from offices can be used to make more high grade white recycled paper. But a mixture of old newspapers, office paper, junk mail, and cardboard can be used only to make lower-grade paper products.

Plastics
Of all the different waste we toss in the trash, plastics cause by far the biggest problem. They last a long time in the environment without breaking down, which can kill wildlife, scar the shoreline and pollute our water.The only trouble is, plastics are relatively hard to recycle. There are many different kinds of plastic and they all have to be recycled in a different way. However, there are also some plastic recycling machines which are applicable for many kinds of plastic scrap like PVC, TPR, PP, PE, EVA, PET, PC, TPE materials, waste rubber products, sponge, etc.

What Can We Do With Tire Scrap

As a business, tire recycling industry is experiencing tremendous growth because of more and more strict requirement of safe disposal. But before you start, having a knowing of the local regulations is very necessary since it varies from state to state.

When you start tire recycling business, learn some basic knowledge of it. Tires can be turned in to crumb rubber, which can be used for rubber-modified asphalt, vehicle mud guards, floor tiles and mats, patio blocks and surfaces for running tracks and playgrounds. Recycled tires are also commonly used as fuel in civil engineering project. The non-rubber portions of the tire are also recycled. For instance, the steel beads that give the tire its shape and structure are processed into specification-grade product used by steel mills for new steel.

Then you can make a preliminary business plan according to your purpose. You need to have a clear mind of what you will need, especially the vehicles and location. Equipment will vary a lot, depending on what you plan on doing. If you want to produce rubber powder, a waste tire recycling plant will save you a lot of trouble, which has included all necessary machines like tire sidewall cutter, tire strip cutter, tire block cutter, tire shredder, rubber crusher, etc. Check national and local prices for tires and crumb rubber and explore whether there are community grants for green business. 
 

To keep normal operation, ensure to get government approval. One important part is getting a business license and proper zoning for your location. A tire recycling business may require specific permits or licenses, depending upon the location.

After you open the tire recycling yard, you need to strengthen the cooperation with local waste management department, local mechanics, or dealers, etc. The local waste management department will most likely have the most up-to-date information about tire waste in your area.

Tire recycling can avoid many bad effect, but to do legally and efficiently will bring more benefits. Good luck for you!

Huge Market Potential of Copper Wire Granulator in Australia

An Overview of Scrap Metal Recycling in Australia
Australia is a strong net exporter of a wide range of mineral commodities, especially metallic minerals. Being one of the most developed countries, Australia owns high level of resources consumption which is the main reason why Australia generates a large amount of waste materials, especially scrap metal. It is estimated that the current level of scrap metal generation in Australia equals approximately 50% of the country’s total metal consumption. In 2012/13, the overall amount of metal in Australia was estimated to be 12 million tons, among which the amount of generated scrap, waste metal and other losses is 7 millions tonnes!

In general, the flow of metal starts from mineral extraction, goes through several stages of transformation, such as processing, refining, fabrication, and manufacturing, includes product use in the economy (consumption), and ends up with product disposal, or scrap metal recycling for the next cycle.

By extrapolation, the Australian Scrap Metal Industry generates $2 billion annually, and holds 0.7% of the global scrap market. Over the period from 2002 to 2011, the amount of collected metal scrap grew from 3.3 Mt to 3.9 Mt. The overall collection rates are relatively stable at about 70%. The current levels of waste metal generation, metal scrap collection, and domestic processing of metal scrap in Australia equal approximately 50%, 35% and15%. There is still a long way to go to fully implement circular economy model!

With concern over theories such as peak minerals, constraints on mining such as carbon emissions and higher costs, and an increase in consumer goods requiring rare metals, recycling metals is becoming an increasingly attractive way of fulfilling society's needs. While not denying the dependence of Australia on mining and minerals industry revenue for economic growth, we believe that a better understanding of metal cycles in the economy can provide a pathway to Australia’s leading role in resources stewardship.

Copper Scrap VS Other Metal Scrap
Metal recycling mainly includes copper, aluminium, ferrous, lead, nickel and titanium. Although steel and aluminum is frequently mentioned in Australian metal recycling, copper also plays an important role in the whole industry, for example, the average ‘new’ copper wire contains some 30% recycled material. The more we recycle, the less we need to mine. For copper the energy saving is approx. 60% and for aluminium even 90%. The key determinants of success in this area are the ability to collect metals for recycling at the end of their useful life (old scrap collection rate), the ability to collect the scrap created upon manufacturing of goods (new scrap collection rate), and the efficiency of the recycling process. Of these parameters the most important future improvements should be expected in the old scrap collection rate, which is currently below 50% for both copper and aluminium.

Classification of Scrap Copper Wire
Copper scrap has five general types: scrap copper solids, scrap copper non-solids(turnings, dust, chips, etc.), scrap copper wire, scrap copper breakage(scrap motors, scrap transformers, scrap copper windings) and scrap copper alloy.
Scrap copper wire, as an important part of copper, is worthy of more research. Copper wire scrap also can be divided into five categories:
85% Wire: Thin case with a diameter comparable to a pencil’s. If you have this type of wire, just strip it yourself and get full copper price!
70% Wire: Romex/machine wire without any attachments. Found inside of any type of electronics or appliances
50% Wire: Extension cords and appliance cords
35% Wire: Thinly gauged wire with a considerable degree of attachments. “Communications wire” For example, VGA cables, telephone wires, etc.
10% Wire: Christmas lights

However, most scrap yard do not segregate scrap wire into so many types. This will usually result in just 2 types of categories for you scrap copper wire:
re: Any copper wire with a single layer of insulation.
High Grade Copper Wire: Any copper wire with a single layer of insulation.
Low Grade Copper Wire: Any copper wire with a double layer of insulation.
This is a general guideline. Every scrap yard is different. But one point is same that if you want to get the value of copper, you must remove insulation.

The Most Functional Copper Wire Recycling Machines
There are several options to process copper wire scrap, but burning is never allowed. Not only does it harm the environment from the fumes, but also it will downgrade your scrap yard. While you shouldn’t be burning the wires you are looking to get copper from, you can use some other heat to help you. You can warm your wire in the oven (on low) or in a black box in the sunshine to warm the insulation to make it softer and easier to remove with a handheld stripper or razor blade.

In Australian capital cities, scrap copper is collected by business and local government. They have the ability to buy recycling machine, such as copper wire granulator, or wire stripper machine, to get better effect! Both of these 2 copper wire recycling machines are with high efficiency: wire stripper machine can process copper and aluminum wires. It has a wider application for single-strand and double strand wire within 1-100 mm. As for copper wire granulator, it sells pretty well in developed countries, such as US, UK, Australia. It can satisfy large-scale copper recycling need.